Gathering of Heroes [Open]

[Tsukino Nanami]

[col]

Chapter 9: Gates of HellAct 6: Immovable Object/Unstoppable Force​

The streets were alive with the sounds of people shouting to sell their goods, wooden carts being pulled by various animals including other people, and thieves running around, cutting purses in stealth before running off in an artistic flare. A group of children ran passed Nanami, laughing and giggling as they ran in single-file. The children were playing soldiers, eventually with one of the children claiming they are a certain individual from the Cabal. The name escaped her due to her issue with understanding the dialect too well here. The children that didn't claim to be from the Cabal had sticks, each stabbing the child under the armpit as children do to imitate stabbing someone through the chest.
The child playing the Cabal member fell dramatically before standing up. The children giggled before running off as a group while singing 'Ring around-a-rosie' in a less-than-creepy manner. Turning her eyes from the spectacle, Nanami turned her head forward before her arm was pulled on by a woman wearing a cloak. The woman leaned in to take a good sniff of Nanami. "Ah, yes. You smell like you're looking for a good deal. Yes yes! I have the perfect deal for you!" the old woman said as she tugged on Nanami's clothing, only for Nanami to stand firm. Narrowing her eyes at the woman, she swatted at the elderly woman's hand, disarming her grasp of her clothing.
"Come on, lass. It's a very interesting item. Something you might be--" the woman said as she was cut-off by Nanami.
"If it has anything to do with that monkey's paw, I'm not interested. Those things don't actually exist and are a giant waste of money. And if they do exist," Nanami said before the woman scoffs and turns her back to her. A hand was raised in a dismissive manner, spitting on the ground as she walked away.
"Kebabs! Get your Kebabs! Doner, Shish, Adonna Kebabs! Made to order! 1000 Yen for a full!" a crier shouted out. The noise was beginning to wear on her. The sounds and smells of the bazaar were very interesting, indeed, but now wasn't the time to buy niceties. She had limited funds and decided to take this time to find a new set of clothes. Finding her way towards the clothing section of the merchant city, she noticed a lot of shawls and made of fine pashmina and cashmere. Materials you wouldn't find anywhere else were sold in this bazaar.
"Interested in something, little lady?" a middle aged man asked with his hands overlaying one another. The man was dressed in a bright green turban, wearing thick-rimmed glasses and green khalat covering his body. The man looked rich. Upon his hands were multiple rings or multiple metals and gems embedded into them. Tattoos covered the back of his hand and around some of his fingers.
Looking around more, Nanami noticed clothing for all walks of life; including clothing for belly-dancers and even warriors garbs. Everything looks so pretty, given the local style. However, as much as she would like to buy some of these clothes, she didn't have the funds to actually pay for any of them. She didn't have enough money to pay for a bras, let alone an entire outfit. She really needs to jump on Naikishin's ass about bleeding all over her. A true gentlman would have paid for her clothing. Nanami smiled and looked at the man. "All of these clothes are just so beautiful. I'm afraid I don't have enough money to pay for anything here. Though, I am looking for something just a bit simpler."

[Topic Created -- Feel free to join ]​

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[Miroku Akkuma]

Akkuma moved through the bustling streets it was good to see life in the city so recently after the horrendous attacks. Walking through the crowd his Golden Toraono Robes seemed to shine in the light. His long charcoal colored hair hung passed his shoulders and most of his runic seals were hidden from view. Though a few could be seen on his wrists and neck, standing at a massive 6'4ft he towered over most. Two large demonic horns protruded from his forehead those sanguine eyes rested on a woman who had the air of a kunoichi in a nearby stall. Unable to overhear the conversation he stepped forward those who were between him and the shop quickly dispersed his demonic aura too much for the citizens. The markets seemed to be in the usual bustle and he couldn't help but wonder where she had come, what had drawn. Perhaps she could lead him closer to those he sought, arriving before the two he smiled that shark-like grin. "I'm sorry but I couldn't help but overhear..." Akkuma withdrew a small pouch from within the robe and extended a hand to the shop keeper. "I'm sure you'll find this more then adequate enough to cover any purchase she makes." should he open it he'd find over a dozen extravagant gems well worth more than anything his store offered.

Bowing to the kunoichi those sanguine eyes assessed her "I'm Miroku Akkuma...I couldn't help but notice your a foreigner like myself." as he straightened up his tail flicked with curiosity as he continued on. "Although I'm not known for keeping to myself..hahaha." he would say with a chuckle. The Dark Sage wondered what had happened, who was she? Clearly she was a foreigner like himself plus being nosey tended to pay off for him so he wasn't going to quit now. "Would you perhaps be interest in a meal, a drink and a talk I find in times like these people have many an interesting story. Don't you agree Miss....?" he would say in that charmingly devilish tone of his, the Large Summoning Scroll and his chakra levels would be enough to show that he was a shinobi. Perhaps she would be just as curious about him as he was of her, after all humans were renowned for their curiosity. If not who could deny someone who just paid for your garbs and was offering a free meal all for a talk? Then again demons weren't exactly renowned for being normal, Akkuma certainly was eccentric and that was putting it nicely. 'Perhaps she's here to aid Sunagakure...I wonder.' he thought to himself wondering about what she would say.

Edited to Say Hello!

Re-Edited to fix the blood statement xD

 

[Rakujo Yumeko]

​

As Naikishin continued to wander through the village, he would eventually find himself going outside of it to see if there was anything to see, considering when he and Yumeko passed through, they went straight to the gates, which turned out to be the Toraono Dojo as well. The man wore a white yukata with a blue swirl pattern on the bottom and ends of the sleeves, worn so that his arm only goes through the left sleeve, and the right half droops down over an obi. Over this, he would wear a black belt buckled so that there is leftover dangling from the buckle. The handle to his sword seemingly floated at his side, though it was more so that he had a small wire to it for now. His white hair seemingly still unkempt. He would soon find himself at an outer wall to a city, as he walked into it.

As he entered, and having entered the crowds, he would continue to scan what he could see with his red eyes. After quite a few moments, he would see a figure, or at least he would hope, of someone that he knew. As he made his way towards her, he would do so quickly. Stopping right next to her, making sure it was her, though it didn't take much time to make sure. There was a man standing near her, talking to her as well. The man towered over him by a few inches. He even had demonic horns. Though, for now, his attention was set on Nanami. "Well, I at least found you." He said, clearing his throat afterward. He wasn't intending to ignore the man that stood there as well, but this was the first time that he had seen someone from the little group that was apparently a thing.

 

[Tsukino Nanami]

[col]

Chapter 9: Gates of HellAct 6: Immovable Object/Unstoppable Force​

A pouch of jewels was placed on the stall's counter. Magically, the bag opens up to display shiny gems and precious stones, cut to perfection. Like the gems in the bag, the man's eyes lit up, sparkling as he picked up the bag and emptied the contents neatly onto the stall's shelf. He looked at each and every one meticulously before looking up to Akkuma and nodding. Placing each individual rock into the soft pouch, the man disappears into his own world within his mind as he looked over and counted each gem one-by-one.

Raising a brow, the woman felt a wave of dark aura approaching her. The dark aura didn't bother here, as she had no fear of any man, woman, or child. Though, if this was a small pony that wanted to take her into bed, that would be a different story. That was mortifying enough to make her leave an entire country. The man was adorned with a pair of large horns, which may seem intimidating to a normal human being. Nanami has seen more atrocious creatures than the one that approached. However, the thing that approached her looked like an abomination straight out of a comic book. No, no Eldritch Horror could look so cartoon-ish.

The man addressed himself as Miroku Akkuma. Her eyes went from raised to half-way open. His family MUST have hated him. Calling the child the devil must have done things to him as a child. Well, at least Nanami -thinks- his name translated to 'devil' due to how it sounded coming out. The man noticed Nanami was a foreigner. The fact that she's dressed in white and black leather and tight clothing wasn't a give-away when compared to the loosely-garbed, light-colored clothing the locals are supporting. Well, then again, shinobi. Nodding her head with a little smile, Nanami clears her throat and looked back towards the man continuing to count the gems. "Are you sure you want to buy me clothing? All I really need is underwear," she said bluntly to the man. While she feels grateful to the man for his contribution, she couldn't consciously accept the man's gift. An empty checkbook is dangerous in the hands of the greedy.

The man then continued on, offering her a meal and a drink. What's with these men and wanting to feed her and fill her full of booze? The pompous man that owned the restaurant within the village offered to feed her and the boy that witnessed his family die something to eat; while the gore and violence of the untimely terrorist attack still resided within the building. While being no stranger to gore, it's absolutely unsettling to eat anything when entrails were hanging out, stinking up the room. But this is a difference instance. There was no blood. There was no violence. There was no evil. But something about a man wanting to give her so much for free did seem extremely suspicious. Nanami had no intention of paying the man back in terms of cash or 'services'. She had nothing she was willing to give for some bras and panties.

"Well, the food would be lovely, but I recently ate. Perhaps cold water and company would be fine," she said with a subtle uncomfortable smile upon her face. She didn't know this man nor did she know his motives. She had no reason to trust him. The woman stopped for a moment. She was about to say something else before hearing a familiar voice. The red light pulsating from her arm shined even brighter. Gnashing her teeth together, the woman's head slowly turned in an angered, jerking fashion. She emitted her own aura. Yes, the scorn of a woman. Balling her left, dominant hand into a tight fist, she dropped her hand down and swung her fist up.

~Tsukino Clan Special Hidden Technique: Raging Uppercut of the Lion's Mother!~

"You SON OF A BITCH!" she said after she attempted to deliver the Tsukino Clan's Special Hidden Technique to Naikishin's chin. Jumping onto the man, she grabbed at his collar and shook him. "Because of you bleeding all over me, I didn't have the money to buy underwear! Do you know how difficult it is to walk around here in Wind Country without underwear?! Sand gets EVERYWHERE! Maybe I should throw sand inside of your--" she said before stopping for a moment and looking towards Akkuma. My, how rude of her. She laughed a bit and placed a hand away from Naikishin's collar and to the back of her head.

"Oh. Sorry about that. My name is Tsukino Nanami. And this here is my," she said before turning to look towards Naikishin with a stone cold glare. "friend Naikishin. This little shit owes me underwear!"​

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[Miroku Akkuma]

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Akkuma smiled at her response it was vastly better than he had thought it would be "Of course its no issue at all. Besides there are many fine things here don't just get the essentials, my line of work ensures I don't have to worry about earthly possessions too much." he could sense another approaching sure enough he began to speak to the woman. 'So they know each other? Mmmm I wonder who he is?' he thought to himself "Its no trouble at all truly." when the woman lashed out at the newcomer using some clan technique to berserk on him. Not expecting an outburst such as that Akkuma would literally fall to the flaw in laughter at the ensuing chaos. By the time the commotion was finished he'd be back standing as f it had never happened. "No problem it was quite joyous to see hahaha. Your behaviour makes me miss my brother." he would say in that charmingly devilish voice bowing as he was introduced to the two new arrivals.

"Allow me to introduce myself properly...Miroku Akkuma, Head of the Miroku Clan. Demon Sage and S-Rank Mercenary Ex-Anbu of Kirigakure. I'm also a practitioner of the forbidden techniques restricted to those that are Dark Sages." he would say letting it all sink in, he gauged their reactions as he said each title he'd been known by wondering if they had heard either. "Tell me what brings you both to Sunagakure?" he would ask waiting for the two to answer him. Once Nanami had gotten what she needed they could go to somewhere more private and better for discussions. Not that Akkuma had much need for discrepancy he found he had little to fear in this world of man. Though he did prefer the topics he wished to discuss stay just amongst themselves. Smiling that shark-like grin the sanguine eyed demon withdrew a smoke and ignited it with a snap of is finger, offering one to both shinobi before putting them away.​

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[Rakujo Yumeko]

​

As Naikishin stood near Nanami, he would cross his arms as his speech from his arrival had hit the woman's ears. He had noticed the glow in her arm, as the woman had also started to emit her own aura. He would lift one of his eyebrows, curious as to what would happen just as she had soon dropped her hand down and swung her fist up into his jaw. Luckily for Naikishin, he wasn't a normal man, who would have probably lost a few teeth from the impact. As the punch had connected with his jaw, he would have launched a few feet into the air. As he reached the arc of having been launched and started falling towards the ground, he would land on his hands using the palms to brace himself so he didn't fall direct onto his face. Quickly after having done so, he would push off the ground and onto his feet, though his footing was minimal.

He had heard the woman speak soon after having hit him, and had soon ran towards him, knocking him off balance and jumping onto him, just to straddle him and grab his collar. After she had grabbed his collar, she would start shaking him, explaining how she didn't have the money to buy any underwear. and that sand apparently got everywhere. Well... duh.

She would soon stop and introduce both herself and him to the man who stood not too far from them. "It's nice to see you again too, Nanami." He said, after waiting for Nanami to finish speaking after noticing the glare she had given him. She would continue to be on him, in which he would sigh before speaking again. "While this is all fun and dandy, Nanami, but would you mind getting off of me?!" He had asked, waiting for her to get off of him as he had asked. "Though it'd be fine to resolve our bet that happened back in Moon." He said, watching the woman. "Oh, don't mind me, I'm just... here." He mentioned to the man who had spoken to them.

 

[Karitoriki]

What an... interesting meal, to say the least. As much as he hated having to show any sign of remorse and dignity, it was worse when the recruitment didn't go as well as he would have liked. Alas, there were going to be other times. The mission still rang overhead, following him like a cloud during the day. The aura it projected created a presence around him, a demeanor of a man on a journey. He was unstoppable. With nodachi in hand, his trusted Nihil Vesica, Karitoriki walked to the Bazaar. Although he recently had his filling of food, he wanted to see if there was anything interesting to get there. He helped clean the restaurant out, and paid everyone their due pay. He even forced the restaurant to close for a bit, as to protect the peace it held with the people. It would host the funeral for the boy at the restaurant at no charge. Karito would not be there, but his master, Masuta, would. He did own the establishment. It was well worth it, for it provided a good heap of sum to the cause.

The daunting presence filled the air of the bazaar. Although he hated standing out, his white skin and white hair coupled with his ghostly ice-blue eyes made him seem like a mirage, a specter in the shadows of the poor. He didn't enjoy standing out too much, but during a time like this, he hid his presence a bit more. He soon became more and more ignored, until, of course, he heard a familiar voice. Looking at the direction of the sound, he noticed a woman with two men, either haggling or annoying her. It was the woman that caught his attention. Not for her beauty, but rather for the fact that it was the annoying preacher from the restaurant. However, this was an excellent chance. He needed more people. They needed more people.

"You know, if I wasn't already insane I would think you would be following me, shinobi.", Karito said, his eyes soldering into the woman. He meant it to be a bit of a light-hearted jab, but it was tough for him to be friendly to others.

"And, not trying to ignore you folks. My name is Shinokami Karitoriki. You may call me Karito, if you like.".

At this point, he was trying to act polite. It was part of his training back when he left sand for a bit. Friendliness will reward him someday, and he knew the more "friends" he had, the stronger his party will be when the mission will begin.<i></i>

 

[Kari]

It was the first thing -- save for that small clan she had encountered some days ago -- that resembled civilization. A walled city in the middle of the desert; it was the first town she had encountered since leaving the fringes of Lightning country. Its streets were filled with vendors, children, and people who seemed to be leading fairly normal lives (as normal as they might be in the actual middle of nowhere). Her gaze turned towards a group of children sprinting past her, through the maze of people on the particular road. In a way, it resembled how the kids in Kumo were, or how they appeared from a distance.

It was a nice city; had she the time and money -- assuming they accepted foreign currency -- and the motive to stay, this seemed a perfectly fine place to rest for a few days and try to find what had happened to her when time froze and how to prevent that or limit its occurrence.

Lines and mobs were formed around the vendors, each with their own unique treat or relic sworn to protect someone from any curses. Knick-knacks and toys people held in bags and hand a-plenty. Entertainers were attracting small audiences; few people were sneaking around with pouches of coin that she could only assume they had stolen from another in the crowd.

Amidst it all, there was a rather lively group of people not far from where she was; over the sound of everything else, she could still pick out some bits of what they were saying, including the completely-out-of-context phrase of "this little shit owes me underwear!" Albeit strange, it didn't stop her from butting into the group to ask a question about the area.

"Excuse me, but do any of you know if there's any kind of inn nearby?"

 

[Tsukino Nanami]

[col]

Chapter 9: Gates of HellAct 6: Immovable Object/Unstoppable Force​

Noticing how she was positioned upon Naikishin, her face turned beet red, quickly jumping off of the man and dusting herself off. She crossed her arms over chest and turned her head with an annoyed expression. Her left eyebrow twitched for a moment before turning to look towards the silver-haired man and points at him. "You should have bought me clothes while we were in Canaan!" she shouted at the man. The reference to Canaan was speaking of Hidden Moon. Lowering her hands back across her chest, she turned her head with a hrmph!

Her eyes turned back towards Akkuma as he introduced himself. A very long-winded introduction, outlining his name, his titles, his forbidden arts, everything. Nothing seemed to be a secret with this man, not even anything taboo like his ability to bring back the dead. One thing that did pique her interest was the fact that this man was from Kirigakure. She knew about Kirigakure, having witnessed hell first-hand, and having lived by that frigid hell for years taking care of children who lost their family in the panic of fleeing their homes. What a terrible thing to happen. She still requested the reason 'why' from the Isaki Clan, but their clan had issues paying a mercenary for her services; let alone giving her information on 'why'.

She was then asked why she was here. This caused her demeanor to change quickly to one of absolute annoyance. "My name is Tsukino Nanami," she addressed herself. She didn't feel comfortable enough to tell Akkuma her pet-name; Sparrow. "I originally came here as a guard to a member of the Isaki Clan. Last I saw him, he was vomiting in the bar because of some illness or whatever," she said as she brushed her hand to the side, trying to dismiss the idea. "With a member of the village taking him to the bar instead of a clinic."

And then a familiar voice caught her attention before turning to notice Karitoriki from the restaurant. Her eyes closed half-way in annoyance. An audible groan came from the woman as she nudged Naikishin in the side a bit before turning her attention fully on Karitoriki. "To what do we owe the pleasure?" she asked in a condescending manner. She knew the man addressed her as Shinobi and she didn't particularly care about that title. She placed her hands upon her hips and tilted her head. "The name is Tsukino Nanami. No need to address me as 'shinobi'. Besides, I'm not too hard to miss," she said as she raised her arm and pointed at the implant radiating bright right pulsating light.

Now this place has gotten a bit crowded. We have Akkuma, Naikishin, Karitoriki, and now a new-comer. How many more people has to gravitate towards her? Must be the light from her arm. Yeah. Shrugging her shoulders at the woman, she responded with. "I don't know. I just got into the city, myself. I was looking for clothing to wear, but I'm a bit out of money. However," she said as she hooked a thumb at Akkuma. "This man said he was going to buy me some clothes and even feed me. I'm sure, with his funds, he would be more-than-happy to assist," Nanami stated before turning her eyes back towards Akkuma and then to the merchant counting the gems.

"On second thought," she said as she turned and looked towards Akkuma for a moment. "I'll take you up on that offer to clothe me and feed me. But don't expect anything in return other than my gratitude," she stated before moving over towards the clothing vendor and picked herself a small selection of clothing. The clothes were modest and provided good coverage of her body from the sun. She was, however, too embarrassed to buy underwear with all these people around.​

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[Miroku Akkuma]

[col]

The man who travelled with the woman said he was merely there, implying he didn't want to be spoken to? 'Perhaps he's socially awkward..' he thought to himself with a smile, those sanguine eyes slid from each newcomer as they arrived. Watching the events unfold he couldn't help but grin that shark-like grin, it seemed he wasn't the only one who had been interested by the foreigner. Along with not being the only foreigner things really were seaming to get interesting, after awhile it seemed his invitation of food and beverages was not going to be accepted by only one. "Of course I'd be more than happy to assist with any matter while you are in Sunagakure." he would say in that devilish tone with a bow to all. Assuming this would be the last of the newcomers he bowed to the group once more. While the group was busy with its business preparing to head to the Inn Akkuma couldn't help but notice that Nanami has grabbed garbs yet left out the underwear she had initially desired. With some quick slight of hand he caught the shop keepers attention motioning to the garbs, the man folded them up in a small discreet box. Meanwhile the demon stood straight gesturing towards the Inn "If you'll proceed this way, the Inn isn't far." The demons tail grabbing the box and discreetly pocketing it into his robes. As the group headed to the Inn Akkuma would place the box in one of Nanami's many bags as they walked with his tail.

Soon enough they would arrive to the inn a small yet lavish establishment. That was not only an Inn but bathhouse, with a restaurant and bar. When the group arrived they would have a waiter and waitress walkover with trays of drinks, in scantily clad fabric that could barely be called clothes. An elderly greeter walked forwards, spreading both arms in a welcoming gesture as he bowed.

"Lord Akkuma, I see you have brought company."

"I'll need you to prepare a room for however many of my guests need accommodation. In the meantime, can you also have miss Nanami's belongings stored somewhere for her. Some Sake, Fire Rice Wine and bring two bottles of Kirigakurian Moonshine from my lodgings." he would say with a small head nod, bowing and leaving wth an 'ofcourse my Lord' he left to do the mans bidding. As more staff came to collect whatever items they wished stored or guide them to a room. Moving through the steamy establishment Akkuma would take a seat on an almost throne-like chair, obviously not a piece of furniture from this establishment. Perhaps brought here with him while he stayed here, as he lay back lazily one of the scantily clad drink-bearers would bring over an uncorked bottle of Kirigakurian Moonshine pouring him a glass. She would next pour any of the others what drink they wished. Yet another worker entered placing a large tobacco and herb mixed smoke in his lips, before begin to massage his shoulders. With a snap of his fingers the smoke ignited and he inhaled a deep satisfying breath. "So what brings you all to Sunagakure's fine lands...its not hard to tell your foreigners. Except you Karito you have the bearings of a Sunagakurian..." he would say those sanguine eyes moving through the group resting on the Sunan finally.

Smoke slowly circled around the demon almost dancing around his massive horns, it gave him an odd mystical look...in a demonic mob boss way. It didn't help that he had a demonic aura of malice and despair that constantly sought to envelop those around him. In fact it'd be obvious to those around that if it weren't for a deep respect for the Lord they would not be anywhere near the demon. Not that he could blame them he did have his moments where he was quite like his kin, but he was also a noble lord now. He did the best to control his monstrous urges unless he was on a mission or in the courts where he did not possess the patience to deal with most mortal matters. But he was bored after all he had been very busy since arriving to Wind Country. ​

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[Rakujo Yumeko]

​

As Naikishin continued to lay on the ground with Nanami on top of him, another man had arrived, speaking to Nanami before introducing himself. So the mans' name was Karitoriki, or Karito for short, apparently. White hair, very pale skin, and ice blue eyes. He would continue to wait for Nanami to move off of him, until yet another person had arrived, this time a woman was who had arrived. She had asked if any of them knew if there was an inn of some sort nearby. He didn't know, considering he was resting at the Toraono Dojo, or at least did so since he had only been in the village for a day or so.

Now, when Nanami had noticed how she was positioned on him, her face turned beet red and quickly moved off of him and dusted herself off. He would stand up, dusting himself off as well as she crossed her arms and spoke to him, telling him that he should of bought her clothes back in moon. He would sigh before speaking. "Well, I'm here now, Nanami. But it seems you already have an offer from another, guess I'll have to think of something else, unless you still need even more clothes than what he'll be getting you." He said.

He had ignored most of Akkuma's introduction after his name, considering how long winded it was. Though, he would listen to Nanami as she had said that she had came here as a guard to a member of the Isaki clan, and that the last time she had seen him, he was vomiting, and a member of the village took him to a bar instead of a clinic. An audible sigh could be heard coming from Naikishin right after Nanami had spoke. Though, as Nanami had noticed the man named Karito, he would hear the audible groan coming from her, and would feel the nudge from her. "What was that for?" He was ask, as he looked at the woman. He would notice the light that was radiating from her arm, before she started to speak to the female newcomer.

With all of the people, Naikishin would stay fairly close to Nanami, all things considered. As Akkuma had made his way to a nearby Inn, he would follow, only should Nanami have done so.

Should Nanami have followed Akkuma to the in, he would stay quiet as the man had spoken to them, allowing the others to speak before he did. He would also not have any of the alcohol that was offered to them.

 

[Karitoriki]

The meeting between all the people (and one demi-human) was extremely convoluted. Karito just went along with the ride, enjoying the free perks that the demi-human Akkuma had brought them. He probably was going to stay at the inn, seeing that he would enjoy the lavishes a little bit too much. Sitting down next to the demon, he started drinking his cup of wine. The selection of people around him was... interesting. Two beautiful women, a demon, and a man with a sword much like his. However, Karito knew he was in a safe area. He wasn't going to fight too much.

"Me? I just wanted a good drink. I had a bit of a run-in today that... shook me a bit more then it should have." Karito mentioned, striking back to what occurred with him and Nanami at his restaurant.

Everyone in the area was extremely powerful. They all carried themselves with an air of superiority compared to the others. He knew he could try to gain the trust of everyone here, and build powerful friends. He drank the alcohol offered to him, enjoying the crisp taste of Bourbon in his mouth.

"Delicious, demon. I enjoy it"

The word wasn't derogatory in any sense- it was more of a mystical awe that he felt. Karito has seen many odd things, but a man with a tail and horns was something completely different. Perhaps one day this strength could be used for the Organizations goals.<i></i>

 

[Kari]

The group she asked did a final round of comments before they had finally noticed her; it wasn't difficult to pick out bits and pieces that may've seemed important: the other lady with a peculiar...thing in her arm went by the name Nanami and acted as a guard for the family Isaki -- whoever they were, the one who finally responded to her, and to her pleasant surprise agreed to help, was some apparent lord demi-human. Two other men were in the party as well: both unnamed still and neither particularly talkative -- or perhaps they were and those in Kumogakure were just incredibly moreso.

Wait. Sunagakure? She had left the borders of Lightning country? "Uh, thank you," she'd respond, bowing her head as a show of appreciation, and choosing to remain quiet on the short trip to one of the inns. That they all would come and remain there along with her was not something she had anticipated; rather, she was hoping to quietly find a place where she could remain on her own before she knew where it was she'd go after here; she needed to wander for now. And along the way, find some answers to what happened to her and ensure it didn't occur again.

Drinks were provided from the group; Kimiko would decline when offered. Rice wine from Fire country, moonshine from Water. It was surprising, both, honestly; she had heard rumors that Water country was as active as a graveyard -- that moonshine would be still remaining, so long after whatever had happened to it would certainly make it a treasure among drinks. The demi-human's glance turned towards one of the men in the group; Karito, huh? A Sunan? Shinobi? Had Kumogakure even alerted anyone of her escape?

"Traveling," she lied, "traveling south from Marsh country."

WC: 300​

 

[Miroku Akkuma]

Ignore

 

[Tsukino Nanami]

[col]

Chapter 9: Gates of HellAct 6: Immovable Object/Unstoppable Force​

Nanami didn't catch the subtle movements by Akkuma by slipping whatever it was into the discrete box. Normally, Nanami would have easily caught that but due to the Grendel Organization's interjection and her utter denial of being a stealthy figure, something so subtle would have easily been noticed. The most minute detail would never had escaped her sight, X Ran Vision (so to speak), but the implant in her arm caused her ability to notice such things to be much more difficult. The flashing red light, pulsating from her arm, was extremely distracting.

Turning her eyes towards Akkuma, she raised a brow. This begs the question on how the man obtained so much cash-flow. Was he born with a silver spoon in his mouth or did he do terrible things to get money. New money or old money. The answer was irrelevant, but being loaded as he was does bring up several queries on the origins of his wealth. Perhaps he was just like the unfeeling man that appeared, the one she met the other day by the name of Karito. Were these two cut from the same cloth or is one more wicked than the other? The true answer would be seen in the future -- judging by their actions and not their words. A person's word means nothing if they do not show it.

Leaning over towards Naikishin while still keeping her eyes on Akkuma, the woman whispered into his ear, "Perhaps later. This guy seems very suspicious, we should keep an eye on him. He's too," she said with a slight pause. "nice. Those kind of people usually have ulterior motives. Don't worry about what that was for," said the woman as she moved back from Naikishin's ear before looking over Akkuma once more. "Well, we shall," the woman said before forcing a smile upon her face. She didn't particularly trust this man. Usually when men buy a woman things and act kind to strangers is because they wanted something. What would this man want? Power? Friends? Lovers? No, couldn't be lovers. He mentioned having one earlier. Perhaps he planned on recruiting for a cult?

Following the man into the inn before noticing all of the pomp and power this man possessed. She instinctively turned her head towards Karito and tilted her head slightly. "Business partner of yours?" she said sharply towards the rich man. The two had money and influence within the village and country. How these two gained their influence isn't particularly her problem, unless it involves harming her or the country she loves. Her belongings that she bought were taken from her by the staff before being given a key to her own room. Turning to look back to Akkuma, she bowed to the man. "Thank you for your kindness." Nanami wanted to say 'my lord' in a mocking manner, but kept her words to herself.

She then took a seat at the table where everyone congregated to, being offered a glass of Kirigakure Moonshine. She didn't particularly care for the domestic alcohol and favored more exotic drinks. Local for her being Kirigakure; her home. Her eyes scanned over the 'throne-like' chair specifically for him. 'This man certainly thinks highly of himself, no?' Nanami thought to herself. No person would sit in something so extravagant unless they were a person in royalty or unless they were extremely vague with delusions of grandeur. The rich man then asked a question.

"I'm here as the guard of the Isaki family. Unfortunately I think I did a terrible job as the only Isaki I was able to keep with me," she said as she thought for a moment. Well, everyone she came here with just completely vanished. "Well, let's just say they aren't around," she mentioned. "But I did stay for another particular purpose," she said leaving the answer open, whetting their curiosity. Her eyes got instantly dragged towards the ghost smoke around his horns. She watched the smoke flutter upwards before dissipating. 'Why are these people so weird?' She placed a finger upon the table for a moment, running her fingers in circles directly in front of her. She looked towards Akkuma for a moment.

"You don't happen to be related to a pony demon in Stone Village, do you?" she asked. The last time she encountered a demon was when she was in Stone Village. The demon was in the shape of a pony with a horn that spoke to her and offered to bed her. She figured that all demons knew each other in one way or another.​

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[Miroku Akkuma]

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Akkuma smiled listening to them all even chuckling when he heard their whispers but his anbu training allowed not even the briefest sign of it being heard. Not that it bothered him their hesitation was understandable humans were also cautious of things they didn't understand. Bowing his head respectfully to Kimiko when she thanked him, he couldn't help chuckle when Nanami asked if he was a business partner of Karito. Akkuma didn't know whether to take it as a compliment or offense so he didn't bother worrying about the comment. The demon even smiled a small grin when she thanked him he couldn't help but think she wanted to say more she did seem quite...wild would be the correct term he assumed, such a brave woman she was. 'They are all such curious creatures...' he would think to himself as he listened to them all. As they all answered him one by one he would nod patiently listening to them, his curiosity had been provoked by a few things said so he sat there drawing on his smoke while he thought upon it. Although he couldn't help but laugh when it was asked if he was related to one of the Pony Demons of Iwa. "No....perhaps if my lineage was that of Iwa's region. Then again who knows they could be descendants of my father. He is Lord Miroku one of the High Seven of Hell...we are one of the oldest demon houses. My father predates the founding of Kirigakure..." his eyes briefly flashed with loss when he mentioned Kirigakure. Before those sanguine eyes looked up at Nanami once more "You mentioned the Isaki clan...how fairs Lord Hoshikata? I hope he is well, I only got to see him the once after our homeland was lost." he would say and with those words it would be apparent that atleast at one stage the demon had lived within Kirigakure. The demon did hope that he was well, that whole time period it was chaotic a stage of his life he did not like to dwell on.

Those eyes slid to Kimiko as he gave her a small smile, he couldn't help but think she was lying. But he had no reason to be so rude and blatantly accuse her of such he would simply say this one thing to her. "I have invited you all as my guests, that means it is my duty to protect you all while your here. You need not worry...then again I could just be overly weary pay me know mind." he would say with a small bow of his head to her before moving once more to face the man who had referred to him as demon. "I'm sorry to hear it sounds as if you've suffered a loss, I hope the liquor and company helps soothe you." the words were sincere as he bowed his head with respect. Cracking his neck he would sigh taking another sip of his moonshine and following this with another large satisfying draw of his smoke. Akkuma leaned over to the woman massaging his shoulders and whispered something inaudible to her. She walked away as he turned back to the group "Well since no one seems curious as to why I am in Sunagakure. I am to wed Princess Seika of the Toraono Clan. Myself and my clan are here to help out with the recent troubles and prepare for the festivities of the wedding." he would see with a wide happy grin and it was these rare moments like this when he yet his youthfulness show with is wide foolish grin. "I can't wait to battle her brother I've heard he is a great warrior.." he would say as the woman returned with a Large Scroll. Smiling he unfurled it as he performed a quick few handseals, quickly summoning a pristine bottle of Kumogakure sake. "We shall drink this...I was saving it for a drink if Shin, but the bastard exiled me Kumo so we'll drink it now instead." gesturing to the scroll it was removed and she returned to massaging his shoulders as he poured a few glasses of the beverage. Downing his whole glass pouring himself another before raising it once more as the rest were passed out a red flush began to appear on the nineteen year olds face. "To Life...the adventure that it is." he would say with a chuckle before downing the drink, downing the whole thing before sitting back into his chair lazily.

Those sanguine eyes moved to Nanami "So I'm sure enough time has passed for you to make your offer Miss Nanami?" he would ask with a devilish chuckle "If I can't tell when someone is trying to pick the right moment to make a business proposition I'm no demon." he'd say with a wink "I'm guessing you've got quite an intriguing reason keeping you here..." he would say with that cheeky grin he was starting to get a little tipsy and his need for tact was less of a concern. His instincts could be wrong but the demon did have a knack for these sorts of things after all, he had quite the reputation. Varying on who you asked from ranging from tales of heroics to villainous deeds. He was an experienced shinobi and demon few things escaped him in his fields of expertise, though occasionally he did find himself surprised. Akkuma's demonic tail flicked with curiosity at the group they did not seem very talkative.​

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MFT

 

[Rakujo Yumeko]

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As Karito had spoken, Naikishin continued to stay quiet. He still wouldn't accept any of the alcohol that was being offered to them. He would also listen to the woman who had said that she was traveling south from Marsh Country, but wouldn't pay much mind as to saying about it. Though as Nanami spoke to him, he'd pay attention considering the nudge a few moments earlier and nodded slightly as she spoke. After she had said that she was in Sunagakure as a guard for the Isaki clan, and that she was wasn't really able to keep them around.

Naikishin would sigh slightly before hearing her ask Akkuma if he was related to a pony demon. "You encountered that, and I encountered a talking dog..." He would say, crossing his arms. Though, now as Akkuma started to speak, about how the pony demon that Nanami had brought up could be a descendant of his father who was a High Seven of Hell... This is where Akkuma started to get boring, in Naikishin's eyes, anyway. Though when the man had brought up Hoshikata and asked how he was, he would look over to him, his red eyes seemingly piercing through the air. "I'm sorry to tell you this, but Hoshikata's dead." He said, his arms still crossed. He would continue to listen to him as he said that he was to be wed with Toraono Seika, and that he was looking forward to fighting her brother. He would have to presume that his brother was Toraono Kuro, though the family could be quite a bit larger, so his could have possibly been wrong in his presumption.

As the woman who had been massaging the man's shoulders had returned with a large summoning scrolls, in which he would open it and had retrieved as bottle of alcohol from him. Was this guy a drunkard? It sure seemed like it, all things considered right now. "You sure do like you alcohol... though it sure seems like you like it a bit too much..." He would say, his red eyes still focused on the man, still seemingly piercing the air.

 

[Karitoriki]

Karito looked around the room. He was surrounded by strong, able shinobi. He smiled to himself as he was drinking- perhaps it was the drink itself, but for some odd reason, he felt comfortable with these shinobis. They were all capable of hurting him. This was it. These were the people he needed.

"I never asked you Nanami- why are you here in sand?"

Karito was very blunt. He was also curious about this figure. She seemed to have the air of a killer, but wanted to reject it. It was a very odd way to go about life, to reject what you are. He chuckled a bit to himself, wondering what it would be like traveling the world with these fine folk, masters of ninja arts. Perhaps the true purpose of KIss could be fulfilled? Perhaps Masuta wanted these people to be a part of the balance of nature? He was at a crossroads, after all. He accomplished so much in life, and now, he wanted to establish his organization as the best one. Perhaps these folks would be the ones to help him accomplish the true objective.

"What do you think balance means?"<i></i>

 

[Kari]

None questioned her alibi: a good sign, as far as those went. She lied in the moment, but had to make sure she remained consistent with it; it was her new history, a traveler from Marsh. A stranger to the group, she kept to herself -- really, it wouldn't have been too difficult for her to leave, but leaving so abruptly might be seen as odd. All the others seemed to be gravitating towards the other woman (their leader, perhaps?); she held all of their attention and was the direction of their questions, mostly.

From what she gathered, Nanami, the 'leader,' was a failed bodyguard of the Isaki -- no dead? She didn't exactly leave that clear -- one member of which was "Hoshikata," a name that meant nothing to her. The one who had lead them to the inn, a self-proclaimed demon -- perhaps insane? delusional? -- was some rich lordling who had some dealings with a "pony demon" from Iwagakure and was marrying into some clan; the way he talked about them made the Toraono seem as though they were important in these areas. The quiet, white-haired man seemed close to Nanami earlier -- lovers, perhaps? -- and seemed knowledgeable to that Hoshikata person. Were they all related to that clan one way or another?

The last man was another enigma; no name was dropped regarding him, she had no context about him. He was an odd one; odder still, when he asked that last question: what balance meant. Was he trying to be some kind of pseudo-intellectual with half-baked insight, or was some really out-of-place philosophical discussion about to occur?

Kimiko remained silent, watching the others, genuinely curious about whether they'd amuse the question or not.

 

[Tsukino Nanami]

Hero's Theme​

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Chapter X:Act X​

Nanami's eyes darted towards Akkuma for a moment. She heard him mention about his father and continued to drill more grandiose titles to his family. She isn't a big fan of rich people and this one is just as cocky as the one at the restaurant, who found his way here. Her lip curled a little bit before twiddling her thumbs upon the tabletop. He mentioned that his father was older than Kirigakure, itself. Several hundreds of years did his father live. So does that mean that Akkuma is a long-lived creature or does that make him a more recent creation?

"You most certainly enjoy over-the-top titles, don't you?" she asked already completely annoyed with this man and over-glorifying his name and his family name. "Just saying you are Miroku Akkuma from Kirigakure is enough," she mentioned before following up with. "However, Lord Isaki is dead. We went and picked up his body from Cloud. Suspicious really," she said as she turned her eyes down to look at her nails. "I would think that Cloud were the ones that did it and probably exact revenge," she said in a nonchalant manner. But what does she know? As the Isaki said, it's their clan's problem. She personally didn't care if the clan turned to dust. Though, she does kind of like a couple members of their family such as Tetsu and Naikishin. Aimi is nice to look at if you don't mind a walking pair of breasts.

Blah blah blah. The demon kept talking. She was starting to get a bit unnerved being around the man. She turned her eyes towards Naikishin. "Seriously, I need some underwear. You bled all over my last set," she said in a quiet whisper. Akkuma really shouldn't be able to hear it unless he is a god amongst men with Kushin-level senses. Her attention was taken away by Karitoriki. This answers both his question and Akkuma's at the same time.

"Well, I came here, originally, to escort the Isaki Clan. However, upon seeing the state of this country," she said as she looked over everyone there. "I think it's time to make changes in this world. To bring the world to," she said with a slight pause before turning to look towards Karitoriki. "Balance, to this world," she stated once more before standing up. Heroic speech incoming....

[Click BGM now]​

"This world is writhed in injustices that I don't feel should have occurred. Terrorists plague Wind Country, the corrupted Daimyou has overtaken Fire Country," she said before coming to a solemn pause. "And my home has been destroyed by gods unknown," she stated as she placed a hand upon her chest and looked down to her palm. Memories of her home flowed through her mind before flinging her arm down to her side. "No more. This world needs justice. This world needs someone to correct the woes so that everyone can live happily. And to start that, I need people to join me," she stated as she glared down at everyone in attendance.

"I want to liberate the Fire Country and thaw out my home of Water Country," she stated, clenching her hand into a tight fist. "While Sunagakure have people that can defend themselves, the people in Fire Country are meager and cannot protect themselves. I want to be their hero. But I can't do it myself."

Nanami didn't know what balance means in terms of worldly equilibrium, but she knows that people want to be happy and that is what she believes to be balance. "The only problem is, you will have to cut your worldly ties."​

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